Here”s a question for Monterey County planning officials: What”s the difference between an informational meeting and a partisan fundraiser? Today”s answer: $100 per person.

That”s the price of admission to a general plan discussion and breakfast this morning sponsored by Common Ground. It features a panel that includes Jay Brown, who chairs the county Planning Commission, and Carl Holm, who, as assistant planning director for Monterey County, is one of the chief architects of the long-delayed Monterey County general plan.

There is nothing at all wrong about Holm and Brown sitting on a general plan panel with other planning notables, such as land-use lawyer Brian Finegan, former Planning Commissioner Nancy Isakson, grower Stephen Pessagno and Common Ground executive Tom Carvey. Information works best when it is shared.

However, considering the contentiousness of the general plan process, doing so while helping an advocacy group such as Common Ground collect $100 per plate at a private gathering seems a bit like taking sides in a debate of significant public consequence. Of course, expecting neutrality from the development-friendly planning department may be a sign of naiveté.

Common Ground was formed in 2001 by development and agricultural interests as the “smart growth” response to the “slow growth” approach of the LandWatch environmental group. Sometimes at each others” throats, the two organizations played key roles in preparing a new county general plan intended to specify where development can and cannot occur over the next 20 years.

But partly because Common Ground helped derail a relatively environmentalist draft, that task remains unfinished. Using a more growth-oriented draft, county officials and others are still wrestling over important details, many of them involving the relationship between development and agriculture.

Brown and Holm seemed surprised Monday that anyone might be bothered by their participation in today”s breakfast.

Holm said the meeting is strictly informational and his talk won”t be any different than those he has given to numerous groups, public and private.

Brown said it would be fine with him if county planning officials spoke at a LandWatch fundraiser, and we”ll take him at his word. Of course, it would be interesting to see what would have happened if LandWatch had tried it first.